MIAMI (AP) - Miami coach Jim Larranaga responded angrily Saturday to the possibility the NCAA will ease its rules and grant all transfers immediate eligibility.
The change would benefit the Hurricanes because Elijah Olaniyi would be able to play for them this season. But Larranaga blasted the timing of a possible change, which could come next week.
“Why would you make a decision like this in the middle of December?” Larranaga said. “If you are going to make changes, why aren’t you making them before the season starts?
“If they pass the rule that Elijah can play, it would be sure nice to have him. But from what I understand, that decision is not going to be announced until like 5 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon. Are you kidding me? That’s a joke. We have to wait until the last minute. We play at 6.”
Larranaga described as “ridiculous” the indecision by the NCAA amid a worsening coronavirus pandemic.
“We canceled the basketball season in March,” Larranaga said. “We canceled the ACC tournament. We canceled the NCAA tournament. We don’t know this is a serious matter and we’ve got people dying, and that there are spikes all over the place and that kids are going to get sick?”
Miami (3-1) is scheduled to host Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Larranaga made his comments shortly after the Hurricanes’ 66-62 loss to Florida Gulf Coast.
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